coco but it's swapped
by dailymusicalninja
Summary: an au where every character is swapped. basically the movie coco but instead of imector and miguel it's a crackship and marco.
1. Chapter 1

**Please note, I am not a native spanish speaker, so I apologize if I get any words wrong.**

 **Also, when the text is** _underlined italics_ **it means that Marco is narrating.**

On Dia de los Muteros, a man lights up a candle, and the scene cuts to a collection of _papel picado._ A voice narrates as a story begins.

 _Sometimes, I think I'm cursed, because of something happened way before I was born. See, a long time ago, there was this family. The Papa, he was a musician. He and his family would sing and dance and count their blessings. But he also had a dream. A dream to play for the world. So one day, he wanted to fulfill his dream and he left with his guitar... and never returned. And the Mama, she didn't have time to cry over that walk away musician. After pushing away all music from her life, she found a way to provide for her family. She rolled up her sleeves and she learned how to make shoes. She could have made candy, or fireworks, or sparkly underwear for wrestlers! But no, she chose shoes. She later taught her daughter how to make shoes, then she taught her son in law. Then her grandkids got roped in. As the family grew, so did the business. Music had torn their her family apart, but shoes held them all together. You see, that woman, was my great- great grandmother... Mama Victoria! She died way before I was born. But my family still tells her story, every year on Día de los Muertos. And the little girl? She's my great grandmother, Mama Elena._

The scene cuts to present day, where we see a twelve year old boy kiss an old woman. "Hola Mama Elena."

The frail old woman gently opened her eyes. "How are you, Franco?"

 _Actually, my name is Marco. Mama Elena has trouble remembering things. But I still talk to her, which is a good thing._

Marco then proceeds to go over a montage of his bonding with Mama Elena. "I used to run like this, but now I run like this which is way faster!"

The scene cuts to masked wearing Marco "And the winner is, luchadora Elena!"

The final scene cuts to a dinner table "I have a dimple on this side, but not on this side. Dimple, no dimple. Dimple, no dimple!"

"Marco." came a disgruntled voice. "Eat your food."

 _'That's my abuelita, she's Mama Elena daughter.'_

"You're a twig, _mijo_." said Abuelita, seeing on how his plate was barely touched. "Here, have some more." She said while piling his plate with more food.

" _No gracias_." Marco replied.

"I asked if you would like more tamales?" Abuelita asked, giving him a slight death glare.

"Er, _s-si..?"_ Marco sheepishly smiled.

"That's what I thought you said!" Abuelita smiled before walking away.

 _Abuelita runs the house just like how Mama Victoria did._

Abuelita turned and glared to see Marco blowing on a bottle. "No music!" She grumbled while taking away his bottle.

 _Our family is the only one in Santa Cecilla who doesn't like music, and my family is okay with that. I am not like the_ _rest of my family though,_

Marco quickly grabbed his items before heading into the plaza.

"Be back by lunch, Marco." called his mother.

"Love you, Mama!" replied Marco.

Marco soon headed out, grabbing some food on the way. As he was running, he spotted a cat inside a trash can.

"He-hey, Pepita!" Marco stopped his tracks to greet the cat.

"Roll over, lie down, purr. Fist bump! Good girl, Pepita." He said while giving her a little treat.

 _I know I'm not supposed to love music. But it's my fault. It's his. Hèctor Rivera. The greatest musician of all time._

Marco stopped to hear a woman talk to a group of tourists.

"Here in this very plaza, the young Hèctor Rivera took his first steps to becoming a world famous musician in Mexican history.

 _He started out as a total nobody from Santa Cecilla, just like me. But when he played music, he made people fall in love with him._ _He starred in movies. He had the coolest guitar. He could even fly! And he wrote the best songs, but all time favorite is..._

The scene shifts to a flashback of a late Hèctor performing on stage.

 ** _Remember me (Remember me!)_**

Hector was wearing a blue mariachi outfit complete with a hat. Along with that he had his guitar too.

 ** _Though I have to say goodbye_**

 ** _Remember me_**

 ** _Don't let it make you cry~_**

 ** _For even if I'm far away_**

 ** _I hold you in my heart_**

 ** _I sing a secret song to you_**

 ** _Each night we are apart_**

 ** _Remember Me (Remember Me!)_**

 ** _Though I have to travel far_**

 ** _Remember Me!_**

 ** _Each time you hear a sad guitar_**

 ** _Know that I'm with you_**

 ** _The only way that I can be_**

 ** _Until you're in my arms again~_**

 ** _REMEM-BER MEEEEEE~~~~_**

As soon as he hit that last note, a bell crushes on top of him, killing him in the process.

 _Until 1942, when he was crushed by a giant bell. I wanna to be just like him! Sometimes, when I look at Rivera, I get this feeling... that we're connected somehow. Like if he could play music... maybe I could too!_

"If it wasn't for my family..." Marco sighed while polishing a shoe.

"Ay, ay, ay, _muchacho_! I asked for a shoe shine, not your life story." said a mariachi, who was getting said shoe shine.

"Sorry, I'm just not really supposed to talk about this at home." Marco explained, still doing his work.

"Look, if I were you, I'd march straight up to my family and say 'Hey, I'm a musician, deal with it!'".

"I can't do that!" Marco protested, thinking about this idea.

"You are a musician, no?" asked the mariachi.

"I don't know. I've only performed to myself. I've never performed in front of anyone." Marco explained.

"Did Rivera become the world's most famous musician by hiding is breathtaking skills and talents? No! He played it loud and clear for the people to hear! Mira, mira, they're setting up for the talent show tonight, you need to sign up if you wanna be like your hero!" explained the mariachi.

"Oh, no. My family would kill me!" Marco replied, thinking about the thought of his family freaking out.

"Look, if you're too scared, then have fun making shoes." The mariachi said before looking down upon Marco. "Come on, what did Rivera always say?" He then asked.

"Seize your moment?" Marco replied hesitantly.

The mariachi then had an idea. "Shoe me what you got, muchacho!" He said while giving Marco his guitar. "I'll be your first audience."

Marco grabbed the guitar, examining it a bit. Just as he was about to play however...

"MARCO!"

 **Well, here's the intro/first chapter. I promise the next chapter will be wayyy better.**


	2. Chapter 2

"MARCO!" He heard his name being called out by a shrill voice.

He turned to see his Abuelita, along with two of his other relatives, coming towards his exact direction.

"Abuelita?!" He squeaked.

"What are you doing here??" She asked frantically, walking up to him.

"I-I, um-" Marco stammered, his mind full of panic.

Abuelita then slipped off her shoe, whacking the mariachi in the head.

"You leave _mi nieto_ alone!" She exclaimed, pointing her slipper at him.

" _Doña_ please, I was just getting a shine." The mariachi said, pleading to not get whacked.

"I know your tricks, _mariachi_." Abuelita spat out the last word in disgust, as if it was a sin to say it. She then turned to Marco. "What did he do to you?"

"He was just showing me his guitar!" Marco said. Hearing this made Abuelita and his other relatives gasp.

"Shame on you!" He heard his one of his relatives say.

"My grandson is sweet little _angelito, perrito, cielito_!" Abuelita said, smiling while pinching Marco's face. "He wants no part of your music, _mariachi_. You keep away from him." She growled, making the mariachi scurry away.

" _Ay pobrecito! Estás bien, mijo_!" Abuelita said, hugging Marco too tightly. "Come, we have to take you home! You know better than to be in this place."

Marco sighed, quickly grabbing his supplies before heading out.

"How many times must we tell you? The plaza is filled with _mariachis_!" exclaimed his tio.

"Yes, Tío Enrique." Marco replied, rolling his eyes.

Suddenly, he saw Pepita down the road trying to follow him.

"Hey, go away, you!" Abuelita exclaimed, throwing her shoe at her.

"It was only Pepita." replied Marco.

"Never name a stray animal, they'll follow you everywhere. Now go get my shoe." Abuelita grumbled.

As they returned home, Abuelita placed Marco on a stool.

"I found your son at the Mariachi Plaza." Abuelita explained.

"Ay Marco, you know how Abuelita feels about the plaza." His father groaned.

"I was just shining shoes!" Marco tried to protest

"A musician's shoes!" interjected Tío Enrique, making everyone in the room gasp.

"But the plaza is where all the foot traffic is!" Marco explained, trying to give an excuse.

"If Abuelita says no more plaza, then no more plaza." His father, Berto, replied firmly.

"But what about tonight?" He asked.

"What's tonight?"

"Well, you see, they have this talent show, and I was thinking maybe I could..." Marco began

"Sign up?" His mother, Carmen, asked. "Well, maybe you can."

"Please, you need to have talent to join a talent show." Marco heard his Primo Abel give a slight laugh.

"Yeah, what are you gonna do?" His Prima Rosa asked. "Shine shoes."

"It's Dia de Muteros, no one is going anywhere." Abuelita declared. "Tonight is all about family, now get in the family room. _Vámonos._ "

Abuelita lead a wheelchair carrying Mama Elena to the room, with Marco following after.

"Don't give me that look. Dia de los Muteros is the one night where our ancestors can come visit us. We put their photos on the ofrenda so their spirits can cross over." Abuelita explained to Marco, who wasn't paying attention. "This is an important night, and I don't want you sneaking off to who-knows-where-" Abuelita turned to see that Marco was gone.

"Marco! What are you doing?" She asked.

"I thought we were done!" Marco innocently replied.

" _Ay dios mio..._ Being apart of this family means being _here_ for this family. I don't want you to end up like.." Abuelita began to explain.

"Like Mama Elena's papa?" asked Marco.

"Never mention that man! He's better off forgotten!" Abuelita slammed her fist onto the table, creating a loud banging sound in the process.

"But you're that one that-" Marco started.

"Ay! Psst!"

"I was just-"

"Shhhhh!"

"P-Papa? Papa is home?" Mama Elena asked in a longing yet gentle manner.

"Mama! _Cálmese por favor_." Abuelita said, comforting her frantic mother.

"Papa is coming home?" Mama Elena asked in the same tone.

"No, mama. It's only me." Abuelita reassured her.

"Who are you?" She then asked her daughter.

"Ay, rest mama." Abuelita sighed. "What are we going to do with that boy?" She asked herself, before she gained an idea.

Pepita was well on her way into finding her owner, as she sensed for him to be on up in the roof, she climbed up there with easy strength.

The stray cat crawled through a metal door, seeing Marco inside.

"AH!" Marco yelped, before he saw who it was. "Oh, it was only you Pepita. Come on in, I don't want to get in trouble. Someone can hear me."

Marco then picked up a tool to securely tighten a string, after he was done. He showed off his makeshift guitar.

"I wish someone wanted to hear me." He whispered to himself, before turning to Pepita. "Other than you."

Marco strummed the guitar, making sure it was in tune.

" _Excelente_!" He smiled.

He got up to go into another room, revealing there to be a shrine filled with Héctor Rivera memorabilia.

Marco grabbed a VHS recording titled _The Best of Rivera_ , as the TV played.

 ** _I have to sing, I have to play_**

 _The TV shows a bunch of people gathering around, a young Héctor is shown in the middle._

 ** _The music, it's not just in me, it is me! Sometimes when life gets me down, I play my guitar._**

 _Héctor is seen playing his guitar, with Marco following suit afterwards._

 ** _The rest of the world may follow the rules, but... I must follow my heart._**

 _The scene cuts to Rivera kissing a young woman, making Marco recoil in disgust._

 ** _You know that feeling, where_** ** _there is like a song in the air and it's playing just for you?_**

 _Marco strummed the guitar to match Héctor's playing, but to no avail._

 _Héctor soon began singing_

 ** _A feeling so close~_**

 ** _You could reach out and touch_**

 ** _I never knew I could want something so much~_**

 ** _But it's true_**

 _Héctor stopped singing, as the TV changes to another scene._

 _ **"You must have faith, sister."** Héctor said to a young nun._

 _ **"But Padre, he will never listen."** The young nun replied_

 _ **"He will listen to music."** Héctor gave a bright smile_

 ** _Only a song_**

 ** _Only a song~_**

 _ **Has the power to change a heart** sang Rivera._

 _Marco closed his eyes, as he focused more on his guitar._ _Letting his fingers play freely on the strings. He no longer paid any any attention_ _to the TV, it was all on him. He played a sweet song matching Rivera's music._

 _However when Héctor started to talk, Marco stopped playing._

 ** _"Señor Rivera, what_** **_did it take for you to seize your moment?"_** asked a new reporter.

 _ **"I had to have faith in my dream"** began Héctor_ **_No one was just going to hand it to me,_** ** _It was only me to reach that dream. Grab it tight..."_**

"and make it come true..." finished Marco in awe as the film finished.

Marco looked at the flyer for the talent show, and made a decision.

"No more hiding it Pepita. I'm going to play at Mariachi Plaza if it kills me!" He declared.

 **Well, here's the second chapter. Just a few more and we get to meet the dead de la Cruzes lol.**


	3. Chapter 3

Evening soon reached as children played in the streets, a bell tolling in the distance.

"Dia de Muertos has begun!" exclaimed Abuelita, clapping her hands together.

"No, no no! We have to make a clear path." explained Carmen, showing her twin nephews about the petals. "The petals guide our ancestors home. We don't want them getting lost."

Unknown to them, Marco was sneaking off to the plaza. He tried his very best not to get caught.

"Mama!" He heard his father cry out, making him gasp. "Where do you want us to put his table?"

He jolted away as fast as he could. He grabbed Pepita and pushed her under the table where the ofrendas were.

"Marco!"

"Nothing!" He yelped, innocently smiling.

Abuelita gave a glare as his father sopke up.

"Marco, your Abuelita had the most spectacular idea!" Berto explained.

"We've all decided." began his mom. "That it's time for you to see the workshop!" She exclaimed, pulling out an apron.

"What?" Marco asked.

"You no longer will be shining shoes, you will make them!" Berto explained, smiling.

"Our Marc-ci-ci-cito is carrying on the family tradition!" Abuelita beamed with pride. "And on Dia de los Muteros too."

Marco blinked. He didn't want to shine shoes, let alone make them. He had to think of a plan.

"Our ancestors would be so proud. You'll craft huaraches just like your Tía Imelda. And wing tips like your Papa Franco." Abuelita explained to Marco, who was uncomfortable about this whole situation.

"But what if I'm no good at making shoes?" Marco asked, unsure about all this.

"Marco, you are a de la Cruz. And a de la cruz?" Berto began.

"Is a shoemaker. Through and through." replied Marco, sighing as he knew his father was right. No matter what, a de la Cruz will always have to stick with what Mama Victoria once said.

"Oh this is so exciting." The three adults said as they were walking away.

Marco hesitated a bit before he saw Pepita munching on one of the offerings.

Before anything could be broken, he pulled her away, however once he did, one of the photos of the ofrenda had fallen off.

"Oh no!" He gasped, picking up the ripped photograph. After close examination, he noticed that there was more than Mama Victoria and Mama Elena. He noticed a man whose face had been ripped off, holding a shiny guitar.

"Papa!" He heard Mama Elena cry out.

"Mama Elena, was your papa, Señor Rivera?" Marco asked, holding up the photo for her to see.

"Papa...Papa!" She exclaimed.

Marco was in shock. Not only was Rivera his idol, but his great great grandfather too.

"I'm, I'M GONNA BE MUSICIAN!" Marco gleefully said, jumping up and down.

He reached up to the roof, beaming with joy.

"Mama, Papa!" He yelled out. "I found out who my great great grandfather was!"

"Marco!" Carmen exclaimed. "Get down from there."

"I'M GONNA BE A MUSICIAN!!"

His happiness was cut sort however due to his family finding the ofrenda of Héctor.

"What's all this stuff? You keep secrets from your own family?" Abuelita asked, demanding an answer

"It's all the time he spends in the plaza." Tía Luisa began. "Fills his head with with crazy fantasies!"

"It's not a fantasy." Marco interjected. "That man was Héctor Rivera, the greatest musician of all time!"

"We don't anything about this _hombre_ , but whoever he was, he still abandoned his family. This is no future of my son." Berto explained firmly.

"But Papa, you said my family would help guide me." Marco began, starting to get angry a little. "Rivera is family. I'm supposed to play music."

"Never!" protested Abuelita. "That man's music was a curse. I will not allow it."

"Why can't you just listen-" started an irritated Marco.

"Please listen to your family, _mijo_." Berto explained. "No music will be played. End of argument."

"You need to listen to me play!" Mar o replied, grabbing his makeshift guitar.

"You want to end up like that man? Forgotten? Left off your family's ofrenda?" Abuelita asked, while taking the guitar away from him.

"I don't care if I'm on some damn, stupid ofrenda!" Marco growled, making the entire family gasp.

Hurt, Abuelita takes one look at the guitar, before she angrily smashed on the ground, shattering it into pieces. She couldn't believe her grandson would be some defiant, but she would not tell him go down the same path her own grandfather did.

"There. No guitar, no music." Abuelita stated, turning to see an upset Marco. "Don't be like that, muchacho. You'll be better once you eat with your family."

"I DON'T WANNA BE IN THIS FAMILY!!" Marco yelled, snatching the photo before running away.

"Marco!" Was the last thing he heard his family say.

Marco didn't listen and kept running. He didn't want to go back, no matter even if he got lost. He needed to play in the plaza.

" _Disculpame, me prestas una guitarra?"_ Marco asked the woman in charge.

"Sorry, mijo." She replied.

Marco searched more, but when more people rejected, the more he started to lose hope.

Sighing, he sat down for a bit, losing hope a little. He needed to play in the plaza even if it meant going to extreme measures.

And so it did.

Sneaking away, Marco ran off to the grave of Héctor Rivera. Locked, he pushed his way in.

 _"Lo siento, que padre."_ Marco mumbled, as he made a loud bang noise with his arms.

He opened the gate, and saw the memorial. The shiny finish gave it a look of elegance but a haunting vibe as well.

"Senor Rivera, please don't be mad. I'm Marco, your great great grandson. You don't mind if I borrow your guitar no?" He asked the picture.

Obiviously getting no answer, he grabbed the guitar anyways. As he grabbed it, Marco strummed on the strings, making marigold petals float around him.

Suddenly however, after he played the guitar, he heard voices.

"Rivera's guitar, it's gone!" Someone pointed out from outside.

 _"Díos mio!"_ exclaimed another person.

Marco panicked as more and more people came and investigated.

"Who's over there?" asked the cementary worker.

Seeing as how there was no point of running, Marco put his hands up in defeat.

"I-I'm sorry, I just wanted to-" He stopped however when he soon realized that not only did the cementary worker didn't see him, but passed through him as well.

Frightened, Marco ran, and tried to get away. He stopped and noticed the orange glow around everyone, and how he had the same orange glow as well.

"Marco! Marco!" He heard his parents call out to him. Relieved with joy, Marco ran up to them, but went passed through like a ghost as he did.

He tripped and fell down in hole, grunting as he got up.

 _"Díos mio, mijo!_ Here, let me help you." said a woman dressed in pink, reaching out her hand.

" _Gracias, se-_ AH!" Marco screamed as he saw the woman that helped him was a living skeleton.

"AHHHH!!" She screamed, before letting go of Marco, which caused him to crash into another skeleton.

Marco screamed inside as he saw more and more skeletons pop into view. He was relieved when he saw Pepita though.

"Pepita! Can, can you see me?" Marco asked, making the stray cat purr in response.

He ran towards her, but accidentally bumped into a small skeleton man.

"My bad!" Marco squeaked.

"Marco?" The skeleton man replied.

"Marco?" 2 skeleton woman respond.

"You're here! Here, here! And you can see us?" The skeleton man asked.

"I guess...?" Marco replied hesitantly.

He was then hugged by the one of the skeleton woman, specifically the one in yellow, orange, and pink. This caught him by surprise.

"Our Marc-ci-ci-cito!!" She gleefully said whilst hugging me.

"R-Remind me how I know you people again?" Was all Marco breathed out.

 _"Somos tú familia, chamaco."_ She explained letting go of him.

Marco took a closer examination as he soon recognized her.

"Tía Frida?" He asked.

 _"Sí!"_ She beamed.

Marco then stopped to looked at the short skeleton man from earlier. He had a white hat that resembled a cowboy hat, a white polo shirt, and brown pants.

"Papa Franco?" Marco blinked.

"Hola." He responded.

Lastly, he took a look at the last skeleton woman. Her attire was mostly purple with a small brown apron, black boots, grey square framed glasses, and hair braided then tied into a bun.

"Tía Ime..lda?" Marco finally asked.

"You don't seem to be completely dead." Imelda said, poking his cheek to make sure he wasn't really dead.

"He doesn't seem to be alive either." Frida replied.

"We need Mama Victoria. She'll know what to do." Franco explained.

"Oye!!" exclaimed 2 voices, as two skeletons run up to them.

"Tío Gustavo? Tío Chicharrón??" Marco asked as he recognized the twins.

"Hola Marco." Gustavo said, as Chicharron spoke up.

"It's Mama Victoria!" Cheech started.

"She's stuck-"

"On the other side!!" They both finished in unison.

"Why do I get the feeling this has something to do with you?" Imelda asked gesturing towards Marco.

"If Mama Victoria can't come to us..." Frida began.

"Then we go to her. _Vámonos_!" Papa Franco declared as they made their way to Mama Victoria.

 **Well, that sure took forever. Chapter 4 will come soon, so be patient.**

 **And before any of you go "omg marco cursed in front of his family-" Marco and Miguel are two different people with different thoughts and mindsets. Miguel is the mindful one and Marco is the vulgar and mindless one. This was also just to make them different /**

 **Enjoy!**


	4. Chapter 4

Marco followed his dead relatives on their to the marigold bridge, which would lead them back to the Land of the Dead.

He was hesitant upon entering as he saw the orange-ish aura surrounding the bridge.

"It won't hurt you, Marco." Papa Franco reassured, pulling him in.

"Woah!" He yelped, but soon realized he was okay. Everything went well until Pepita started to run.

"Pepita! _Detener!_ " Marco called out to her as he chased after her. After a bit of running, he eventually caught up to her.

"Pepita, you need to be careful. You don't know where we could.. end up.." Marco explained in awe and he stared in awe at the Land of the Dead. He has never seen anything so, majestic and vibrant.

"This is really real. You guys all are out there." Marco mumbled loudly.

"You thought we weren't?" Tía Imelda asked, somehow hearing him.

"How should I have known? I thought this was some made up thing, like... vitamins!" Marco explained.

"Marco, vitamins are a real thing." Imelda responded, rolling her eyes at her grandson.

"Well, Now I could be thinking otherwise." Marco said, trekking on forward.

Marco and co. finally arrive at the Land of the Dead, where they saw hundreds of skeletons coming back from their living families. One skeleton even saw him and ran away.

While waiting, he noticed people in the scanner getting approved to leave. However, when one skeleton appeared, he paied even more attention.

The skeleton was a man by the age of twenty-five disguised as a woman. He stepped forward up to the scanner.

"It is I, Rosita Quintana." said the man, giving the woman at the scanner, Cecilia, a charming look.

"Shall we just skip the scanner? I am on so many ofrendas it will just upset your noise-matronic." 'Rosita' explained, getting scanned in the process. The scanning didn't work, to nobody's surprise.

"Oh, seems like no one put of your photo, 'Rosita'." said Cecilia

"Listen, did I say I was Rosita right about now?" said the skeleton as they removed their disguise and revealed themselves to be a muscular yet young skeleton man in a white vest, brown pants, and a sombrero. His bones were looking yellow, unlike the other skeletons, and along with that he had no shoes.

"That was a lie. And I'm really sorry for doing that." explained the man.

"No photo on an ofrenda, no crossing the bridge." Ceci stated firmly.

The man froze. _I have to think of a plan, and quick!_

"You know what?" He began, "You wouldn't mind if I just zip right past, would you?" He asked giving a sheepish smile before he ran to the bridge.

"Hey!" One of the guards at the line noticed this and started to chase him.

"I'm...almost..there.." The skeleton panted as he began to sink to the petals. "Just need to..get farther!"

"Oh, no you don't!" said the guard before pulling him out and dragging him.

"Oh I see how it is. Never liked that bridge anyway." He mumbled under his breath as he was being dragged.

"CURSE YOU DUMB PETAL BRIDGE!!" He exclaimed.

"Aw." started Frida as she witnessed the whole thing. "I don't know what I'd do if no one put up my photo." She said, thinking about the whole process of getting across without it.

Marco blinked as he saw the same thing as Frida, feeling bad for the man a little.

" _Mijo!_ It's our turn!" Frida cried out, as she gave Marco a slight push.

 _"Hola amigos,_ have anything to declare?" asked the Arrivals Agent.

"As a matter of fact.." began Papa Franco, "Yes we do." He said as he pushed Marco forward.

"Uh, _hola!_ " Marco smiled nervously.

The Arrivals agent said nothing as his jaw dropped, literally.

Upon their arrival back, the family had to trek forward to the Department of Family Reunions, a place for when newly arrived skeletons get reunited back into their family.

Marco looked around and saw many different details, and artifacts. He had his hood on to avoid any looks from bypassing skeletons.

Many conversation heard by the family, ones that went, pretty vulgar. One conversation they particularly heard was one including a certain woman.

"Who is in charge?" The woman exclaimed, slamming her hands into the table. "I demand to speak to that person!"

" _Lo siento, senorita,_ but on here it says nothing about your photo." The agent explained, pleading not to get smacked.

"Lies!" spat the woman. "My family, always, always puts up my photo." She began with a fierce look. "That flashy piece of junk tells you nothing but garbage!" She growled, slipping off her boot to strike at the computer.

"Mama..Victoria??" Franco hesitantly asked.

Victoria turned and gave them a death stare, but stopped as she realized who they were.

"Oh, _mi familia!_ " Victoria sighed in relief. _"Gracias a dio_! They wouldn't let me cross over, tell this woman and her metal junk that my photo _is_ indeed on the ofrenda."

"We, um.. never made it to the ofrenda." Papa Franco explained.

"What?" Victoria blinked. "Why?"

"We ran into.." Frida began as she, Gustavo, Chicharron, and Imelda shoved forward Marco.

Victoria gasped as she saw who was standing right in front of her. "...Marco?!"

It took Marco almost a second to stop zoning out and realize who was talking to him, after quick examination, he recognized her. "Mama Victoria.." He smiled nervously, as he soon began to think about the trouble he had just created.

"What is going on?" Victoria asked, hands on her hips.

"Are you the de la Cruzes?" A clerk asked the family. There was a long pause until the computer exploded.

"Well. You're cursed." The clerk man explained, making the family gasp.

"I'm cursed?!" Marco repeated in disbelief.

"Día de los Muertos is a night to give to the dead, you stole from it." The clerk explained

"But I wasn't stealing the guitar.." Marco said, trying to explain himself.

"Guitar?" Victoria asked.

"My great great grandfather's guitar." Marco replied.

"Ah! We do not speak of that 'musician.' He is dead to this family." Victoria said, trying to keep her cool. She vowed to never ever speak about her husband to the family, even if it meant taking extreme measures.

"Technically, you're all dead." Marco responded in a somewhat sarcastic manner.

He was about to make another comment until Pepita bursts in and messes around.

"ACHOO!" sneezed the clerk. "Who's alebrijie is this?"

"That's just Pepita. She's no spirit guide." Marco replied, giving an honest answer.

"She just looks like a plain old stray cat." Gustavo started.

"Or a furball someone left at the barber shop." Chicharron added.

"Well, whatever she is, I am ACHOO- terribly allergic." said the clerk.

"But Pepita doesn't have that much hair." Marco explained.

"And I don't have a nose, and yet here we are!" The clerk said before giving one last sneeze.

"None of this explains why _I_ couldn't cross over." Victoria said, hands on her hips.

Marco gulped nervously as he knew he was the cause. He showed the missing photo to his great great grandmother, who gasped

"You took my photo off the ofrenda?" She shrieked. Before Marco could explain himself, Victoria started to panic.

"How do we send him back??" She asked frantically in search of an answer. "Tell me!"

"Well.." The clerk began. "Since this _is_ a family matter, the only way to undo it is via family blessing!"

"That's it?" Marco interjected.

"Yup, but you gotta do it by sunrise." The clerk explained

"What happens at sunrise?" Marco asked.

"Hijito! Your hand!" Tia Frida cried out as she pointed to Marco's index finger which was showing bone.

"AH!" Marco yelped as he looked the bony finger, before he started to faint.

"Easy, Marco. Don't go fainting on us now." Franco explained as he caught his great grandson and trying to snap him back to life.

"It won't be as much of a problem since your _familia_ is here. In fact, you can get it right now." The clerk, as he proceeded to look for a marigold.

" _Cempasuchil.. cempasuchil.."_ He murmured as he looked for a petal, until he found it on Frida's dress. "Oh. _Perdón Señora."_

"Oh!" She blushed, making Imelda roll her eyes as she watched.

"Now, all you gotta do is look at your living relative and say their name." The clerk asked.

"Marco." Victoria said nonchalantly.

"Nailed it! Now say "I give you my blessing."

"I give you my blessing." Victoria repeated as the petal started to glow.

"I give you my blessing to go _home,_ to put my photo back on the ofrenda.." She stated, and it glowed brighter each second. Marco smiled and reached for the petal.

"And to never, _ever_ play music again!" She added strictly.

"What?" Marco stopped. "She can't do that!"

"Actually, she can. Since she is part of your family, she can add whatever condition she wants." explained the clerk.

"Fine." Marco grumbled as he reached again.

"Now you hand the petal to Marco."

Marco grabbed the petal and was transported back to the Land of the Living. After a body check, he was relieved to be back.

Making sure he was actually back, Marco checked the window.

"No skeletons!" He whispered to himself

As he was about to leave, he got an idea to grab the guitar.

"Mariachi Plaza, here I come!" Marco said confidently, guitar in hand.

But before he could run off again, he immediately was teleported back.

"Ay, Marco! You leave for two seconds and you already break your promise." Victoria angrily explained.

"This isn't fair." Marco interrupted. "Music is my life. You already had yours." He said, though he had a point as Victoria was literally dead. Marco then picked up a petal from the ground

"Papa Franco, I ask for your blessing." Marco asked, only for the short man to hide under his hat.

"Tia Frida?" He asked as Frida hid her face behind her hair.

"Gustavo? Chicharron?" He for no answer for The twins simultaneously hid behind each other.

"Tia Imelda?"

"Don't even think about it, Marco." She bluntly said. "What Mama Victoria says goes."

"Don't make this so hard on yourself, _mijo_." Victoria started. "You go home my way or no way at all."

"Do you really hate music that much?" He decided to ask, since he was getting frustrated of this whole thing.

"I will not let you go the same path he did!" Victoria explained.

"Like the same path he did.." Marco whispered to himself.

"Just listen, Marco." said Tia Imelda.

"She knows what's best for you." Papa Franco explained to the boy.

Marco reached for the photo in his pocket. He soon got an idea.

 _"Con permiso._ I really need to use the restroom." Marco explained as he headed out for the door alongside Pepita. _"Vuelvo enseguida."_

The De la Cruzes blinked as they saw their living grandson leave.

"Um, should we tell him there are no restrooms in the Land of the Dead?" asked the clerk.

 **After a short break, we finally get Chapter 4! Sorry it took so long, school was in the way.**

 **I apologize for any confusion regarding Ernesto's disguise. It was just a last minute thing.**

 **Anyways, be on the look out Chapter 5!**


	5. Chapter 5

**oh hey we finally get to meet ernesto--**

 **YEY--**

 **(also im really sorry for updating school was a pain and now that's it finally summer i can actually write more chapters and stories uwu.)**

" _Vámonos,_ Pepita." Marco said as the cat followed. "If I want to become a famous musician, I need to get a musician's blessing. We need to find my great great grandpa." He explained as the cat followed.

As he was about to make a run for it, he had seen his family talking to a guard. Marco panicked, because if they spotted him, he would surely get sent home. He ran as fast as he could a nearby room. After he saw them pass by, he was relieved. However, his relief wouldn't last very long.

"Hold it right there, niño." said a man as he tugged on Marco's blue sweater, making him turn around. Marco only gave the man a sheepish smile.

"Ah!" The guard yelped, before taking out a walkie talkie. "I-I found him! I found the living kid!"

A large group of skeletons passed by the two while the officer gave his report, the former of which were carrying many offerings.

Marco decided to run for it, quickly hiding behind a wall. After he watched the officer look around for him, he sighed in relief once again, and was about to make his way.

However, he decided to stay, as he heard a nearby conversation.

"...Crossing the bridge illegally, faking an identity, falsifying a unibrow.." The agent said, going over a list of what the man did.

"What? That can't possibly be a crime?"

"No. Pretending to be someone you're not supposed to be, is." The agent sighed. "Look, if you want your chance of crossing, you gotta clean up your act, _amigo._ "

"Amigo?" Ernesto repeated, before giving a charming grin. "That's such a sweet thing to say, tell you what, you get me to cross over the bridge, and I'll make your night worth while! And after all.." Ernesto explained. "Amigos, help their amigos." He removed his hands to make an emphasis on what he had just said. "So, what do ya say? Do you have our selves a deal?" He flashed a grin.

"Hmmm. Let me think about, actually." The guard said. "No." stated the guard.

Ernesto's smiled disappeared as he thought about more ways to con his way out. He then saw a poster of Héctor Rivera, then he soon got a idea.

"You like Rivera? Him and I go way back!" Ernesto started

Marco was intrigued for a moment. This man actually knew who Héctor Rivera, the greatest musician of all time, was?

"I-I can get you front row tickets to his show!" Ernesto stammered a bit as the guard turned away. "Just help me cross over." He exclaimed as he grabbed the man by the shoulders.

Marco's eyes had widened as he heard that as he realized this man might be tje key to his plan.

"I should lock you up for the rest of today!" The man said, moving away from the vagabundo's grasp. "However, since today is Dia de Muteros, I wanna visit my living family. So, how about I let you out, with a warning?" The guard explained. Ernesto gave the man a glare as he took the paper out of his hand.

"Can I at least have the clothes back?" Ernesto asked as he motioned to said clothes.

"Uh. No." The man said.

 _"Maldito hombre."_ Ernesto mumbled under his breath as he crumpled up the paper and began heading out.

Marco shot a Pepita a smile as he approached the vagabundo. "Hey!" He called out, no response. "I said _hey_ _!_ Did you actually know who Rivera was?"

"Why are you asking me-" Ernesto said as he turned around to see who he was talking to. What he didn't expect was a living child in front of him. _"Ay dios mío!_ Y-you're alive!" Ernesto managed to stutter out.

Marco simply rolled his eyes and grabbed Ernesto's hand while dragging to a nearby telephone booth. "For the love of God, can you not speak so loudly? I don't wanna be seen." He stated, eyes darted towards the older man. "So, let me make this brief, I am alive. Breathing, and made of flesh. If I wanna actually remain alive, I need to get Rivera's blessing."

Ernesto backed up a little, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Why exactly do need his specific blessing?" He asked, eyeing Marco.

"He's my great-great grandfather." Marco replied.

"He's your whaaaa...?" Ernesto gawked in disbelief. He stared at the boy for a while, deep in thought. Hector was quite a ladies' man back in the day, which didn't surprise Ernesto in the slightest for Hector to have any grandchildren. However, seeing a living descendant of his was quite... concerning to him.

...wait. This boy had said he was returning to the Land of the Living. If he were to help the boy with finding his great-great grandfather, and get him back home, he could possibly get his photo back up! Then he could finally see-

"You said you were going back to the Land of the Living, yes?" asked a very enthusiastic (and a bit desperate) Ernesto, while grabbing the boy's hood.

"Erm..." Marco hesitantly began as he made his way out of the telephone booth, having been weirded out by the man. "I should probably head out now. I've changed my mind. This probably isn't a good id-"

Ernesto quickly grabbed the boy by the shoulders. "Wait, chico! _Escuché!_ _"_ He said as he appeared in front of the boy once again.

"I can help you, and you can help me. We can help each other! You just gotta listen..." Ernesto started.

"I'm all ears." Marco replied, staring at him and then over the older man's shoulder. Suddenly, he saw his family, running down the stairs, with Mama Victoria in the lead.

As soon as she saw him, she called out "Marco!"

"AH!" He yelped in a state of panic.

Ernesto smiled and stuck out his hand. _"Soy Ernesto."_ He introduced himself to the boy.

 _"Soy Marco."_ Marco replied before grabbing Ernesto's wrist. "Now that we've met. Let's get the heck outta here!" He dashed for the exit, with the vagabundo on his trail.

Ernesto was surprised at the boy's sudden energy. _"Espérame, chamaquito!"_ He exclaimed. Both having stopped for a while. "What's with the rush?"

"I don't have much time and I'm sorta in a hurry tonight." Marco explained, though he wasn't lying. He didn't have much time left for if he were to stay there for too long he would become a skeleton forever.

"I see." Ernesto nodded. "Well, we better get going then."

With that, Marco, Ernesto, and Pepita ran off away from the station, disappearing in the crowds.

Several moments later, the dead de la Cruzes simultaneous bursted out of the revolving doors, all of them falling face first into the pavement, with the exception of their matriarch, Victoria.

" _Ay!_ That boy is so thoughtless! He's going to get himself killed." Victoria murmured worriedly, knowing full well how dangerous the Land of the Dead can be. He was too much similar to his great-great grandfather, and stubbornness was the most prominent.

"I need my spirit guide, _Dante."_ She states before putting two fingers in her mouth, and loud whistle was heard.

Seconds later, a large, colorful creature with a head of a coyote, body of a wolf, and eagle like wings landed in front of the matriarch. Victoria walked up to Dante and gently stroked his fur. "Who has that petal Marco touched?" She asked turning to her family.

"It's here right!" Papa Franco said as he moved foward with the marigold petal as he slowly approached the alebrijie. "N-Nice boy.."

Dante sniffed the petal. His eyes darted foward as he tracked the scent from the stairs before following said scent. He let out a loud howl before taking off in the night sky.

 **okay chapter numero cinco is done! also, credit to vivirbonita for giving me the idea of marco's nickname "chamaquito" from ernesto. it shows that even though this is an au, it's still ernesto. thank you uwu**


	6. not a chapter

contrary to popular belief, i'm still alive.

i apologize sincerely for not updating, a lot of things had happened to me all at once, which including starting high school, and getting over my first relationship. after all, i am barely fourteen. yup that's right. the author/owner of this account is barely a freshman in high school.

aside of my life, i had also gained new interests. i'm way more into gaming, and a certain anime that involves muscular men screaming at each other for an entire show. i still love coco with all my heart, but i don't have the interest to write about it anymore. i may get back to thus one day, but for right now that is uncertain.

for those that want to keep in contact with me, please follow me on:

instagram: @anon.a.miss.007

twitter: @anon_a_miss_14

discord: @anon-a-miss#4895

alright, see you when i see you i guess


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